Sugar Sparkled Gingersnaps

For me, gingersnaps have been something of an acquired taste. I vividly remember the first time I had one. It was on a long overnight shift during med school, after an already long couple of months of crazy long hours and busy nights. On those nights in the hospital, I would always be ravenous – maybe just because eating anything would help keep me awake. Someone had brought in a package of gingersnaps and, willing to try anything, I did. Mis-take. The particular gingersnap I had that evening was just not my kind 0f cookie – dry, crunchy, not at all chewy. I essentially decided then and there that I would save future cookie eating for much better endeavors, and that I wouldn’t be eating gingersnaps any time soon.

It did take quiet a while, but a couple of years ago for some reason I don’t recall, I decided to try making them at home. (Probably because, like most things, I figured homemade would be better.) I tried this recipe and it was so loved by us and by friends visiting the house at the time, I had none left to share with you. These are now a favorite holiday cookie of mine for sure. The cookie is part crunchy, part chewy, and the sugar coating on the outside adds that extra something that makes me go from like to love. Everything is better with a little sparkle, right? These are great for gifting or make a fabulous companion for your cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Yieldabout 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground cloves

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup canola oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup molasses

1 large egg, plus 1 large egg white

½-1 cup coarse/sparkling sugar

Directions

01

Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the oil, sugar, molasses and the whole egg. Mix on medium speed until well combined. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated and a dough forms.

02

Shape small portions of the dough into 1 to 1½-inch balls. Dip each dough ball in the egg white, remove and let the excess drip off so it is lightly coated. Place the sparkling sugar in a small dish, and roll the ball of dough coated in egg white in the sugar so that it is covered in an even layer. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

03

Place the coated balls on the prepared baking sheets about 2 to 3 inches apart. Bake, rotating the sheets halfway through baking, just until the tops of the cookies are set and beginning to crack, about 15-17 minutes total. Let cool on the baking sheets a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Store in an airtight container. (The cookies will become more firm as they cool, but if you prefer a softer cookie for eating, warm in the microwave for 10 seconds.)